Rocket To The Future
by pkchampion
Summary: Ignore Chapter 8 for now until I get the REAL Ch8 up. Your usual 'Set in the Future' fic...with a twist at the end. BUt you have to read it all to find out what it is!! plz R/R and NO, this is not your typical AAMRN in fact there is barely any mention of
1. Melodi

Rocket To The Future  
  
Time: The Future...about 20 years later than present storyline  
Characters: Melodi, J+J's daughter (age 13), Ken, her best friend and fellow Rocket (age 13), Meg and Ben, A+M's twins (age 12), and Kayla, the youngest Gym leader ever (age 11) (leader of Lavender Town Gym), and Team Rocket, Ash, Misty, and all their Pokémon.  
  
Disclaimer: All those video game people own Pokémon. Not me. Are we clear on that? Good.  
  
Author Notes: There is now a Gym in every city, being 20 years in the future and all. Jessie and James are married and have a daughter, Melodi, who has a best friend named Ken, Ash and Misty have twins, Ben and Megan (who everyone calls Meg), Tracey's dead (YAY), and Karen's (Elite 4 of Gold/Silver games) granddaughter, Kayla, age 11, is the Gym Leader of Lavender town. By coincidence, the five are brought together to launch a rebellion against the new Rockets, called TR series 5 (yes, they've been defeated 4 times before!), before TR5 can control the world, a plan devised by the new Rocket Boss, our old friend (unfortunately) James. (Yes, he finally DID make it to the top of the chain, but wait till the end...hehehe...). OK, can we get on with the story now? (Author looks at Pikachu) *nods* Ok, then, here we go!  
  
  
Character: Melodi  
Place: Rocket Secret Hideout  
Time: About 11:00 am, Monday  
  
"Melodi, it's about time you begin your training as a Rocket," said my father, James Rocket. My mom, Jessie, nodded in agreement.   
"But Dad, I don't-" I tried to say, but he held up a hand, and when the Rocket Boss says quiet, you can hear a pin drop. Even though I was his daughter, if he said jump, I would have to be one of the first ones to say "how high?" because I'm not even a full-fledged Rocket yet. In fact, because of my love for Pokémon, I'm in the lowest possible class of Jr.-Rockets...I'm only a Scout.   
"Melodi, I don't need to hear right now how you don't want to hurt Pokémon. As a Scout, you will have to find potential trainers to steal from, not do the stealing yourself. And, because you're my daughter, you can even be a Junior Trainer in this Gym if you wish." Dad smiled at me, like I should love the opportunity. But I didn't. Not in the least.  
"Besides, honey, you know how important it is that you succeed your father in the role of Rocket Boss. TR series 5 wouldn't be possible without him, and we know you'll make a good leader when the time comes." Mom, too, was smiling. I thought about her words as I left and went to my room. I didn't know it yet, but my time to be a leader would come sooner than anyone knew.  
When I opened the door to my room, I saw my three pokéballs on my bed. I released he Pokémon in them for some company. Chikorita, Dratini, Jigglypuff. My one other Pokémon, Eevee, was at the nearby Pokémon Center. Since no one knew I was a Rocket, I took all the Pokémon to the Center for the rest of the team. I was a kind of errand-girl. I had to remember to go by there later to get Justin's Raticate, Sara's Beedrill, Mom's Arbok, and Ken's Scyther, plus my own Eevee. I looked at the digital clock on the wall. 11:15. I'd probably go right after lunch.   
I got up off my bed and looked in the mirror. I looked nothing like Mom or Dad, except my eyes, one blue and one green. My hair was a long, deep brown, usually in a ponytail, or it did that curly thing that Mom's used to. I was fairly tall, compared to the other Rockets my age, except Brian, who was almost six feet already. I sighed and flopped back on my bed. Another boring day with nothing to do.  
There was a knock on the door. "Come in," I said dully. The door opened and Ken walked in. I had to smile at that. Trust him to show up on a day like today.  
Ken was the only Rocket I'd ever been friends with. He was just about as tall as I was, with short blue hair and brown eyes. He was a Scout, also, and like me, he hated the whole 'stealing Pokémon' thing. But, also like me, since his parents were Rockets, he had to be one as well.  
"Hi Mel," he said, petting my Dratini. He was also the only one I let call me Mel. And the only one who my Pokémon let anywhere near them besides Mom, Dad, and of course myself.   
"Hi. Want to come with me to pick up the Pokémon at the Center later? It's getting to be one of those days."  
"Yeah, one of those 'I'm bored but if you ask me to do anything I'll say no' days."  
"Mm-hmm. And Dad and Mom just gave me another one of those 'It's time you became a Rocket' talks, which, of course, I never get to say a word for myself in. They are so sure I'm going to follow Dad in line to be the next Rocket Boss, they don't care what I think!" I was almost screaming with rage by then, and ready to punch the next thing that moved. I'm lucky Ken understood, or I should say he's lucky, because if he had been the next thing to move, I'd have punched him.  
"Sure, I'll come with you to the Center later. Maybe we can catch something new on the way." He made it sound like it wasn't a big deal. But he knew it was a joke. Rockets were checked before leaving and after arriving for new Pokémon, and any new ones were immediately sent to Dad, as they were counted as stolen, unless you had a special pass to catch a new Pokémon, and only I really had a connection to get those.  
"Yeah. See you later, then," I said as Ken left. I still wanted to punch someone. But maybe not as hard. I flopped on my bed again and Jigglypuff came over and sat on my stomach the way it always does when it's bored. I had to laugh, like I do every time, because it looks so pitiful that way. Eventually it started singing, putting me and my other Pokémon to sleep. I made a mental note to check my face in the mirror after I woke up, and drifted off.   
  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. Ben

Time: 12:30  
Place: Viridian City Pokémon Center  
Character: Ben  
  
"Ben Ketchum, when are you going to learn that winning isn't everything?" yelled Meg. I shrugged, almost glad she was so annoyed with me.   
"When YOU finally realize that I am not your exact double," I replied casually. Being the older twin, Meg usually seemed to think she could rule over me. Well, I had other plans.   
"Ben and Meg, I have your Pokémon!" called Joy from the counter across the room. We ran over together (about the only thing we do together is run) and got our pokéballs. I'd used all six of my Pokémon in a battle, but Meg, in the same battle, had quit after three, which made no sense, considering the fact that both our parents had that 'never give up' spirit when they were trainers.   
I don't know, maybe it was because Meg was a girl, the kind of girl who was always looking in the mirror, brushing her short, messy black hair and staring at her big brown eyes. But maybe it was because she was a girl that we always fought. Mom and Dad had fought a lot when they were kids.   
"How, might I ask, did you manage to lose all six Pokémon in a battle?" asked my best friend and fellow trainer, Dave. So I gave him a play-by-play of the whole thing, while Meg waved and walked out the door.  
"So, with only my Pikachu left, the other guy used Sandshrew and that was it. Game over. Meg gave up after losing three." I ran a hand through my messy red hair. Both of us had inherited that hair that never behaves. It was like the Ketchum family curse, or something.   
"See you later, man, I've gotta get to Pewter Gym before Wednesday!" Dave waved and walked out the door. I followed after a minute, thinking I might find someone else who wanted to battle.   
On my way out, I bumped into two kids who looked like they weren't much older than me. The boy had blue hair, the girl brown. They seemed like they were in a hurry for some reason, although on a day like today, with the sun blazing and the breeze blowing, I couldn't imagine why.  
I caught up to Meg about halfway home to Pallet. She was a slow walker usually, but could walk like she was propelled by a whirlwind when she wanted to. And she ran faster than I did, which worked to her advantage. A trainer's life was constant running, and it was impossible to forget that.   
"How about we stop at Joltie's for lunch once we get to Pallet?" I asked. Joltie's was a Pizza place, owned by Whitney Oak A/N: A play on words for white oak, a kind of tree., Gary's sister. Gary was the most recent Champion of the Orange League, but I was going to be the one to beat him. I was sure of it.  
"Whatever," said Meg depressingly.   
"You only sound like that when you can't find your hairbrush in the morning. What's wrong now?" I asked. Maybe we fought a lot, but she WAS my sister.  
"Mom and Dad are going to be disappointed that I gave up on that last battle," she said with a sigh.   
"No they're not. You don't realize it, but I envy your ability to give up a battle for the Pokémon's sake. I wish I had the determination enough to do that, but I got the stubborn genes, at least when it comes to Pokémon battles."   
"But they always lecture us on how we have to not only be trainers to, but friends with our Pokémon. And to do what you have to do, no matter what. So I HAVE to win, at any cost, basically."  
"That's not what that means! It means if you HAVE to lose the battle, for the sake of your Pokémon, then go ahead, because that means you can put them in front of yourself. I think it's called empathy." I had never talked to Meg like this before. This was a serious conversation, and I was a jokester. But she WAS my sis, after all.  
"Look, there's Joltie's! Bet I can beat you to the door!" she yelled, and I groaned. Constant running may have been a part of training, but she didn't have to make it a part of everyday life, too! I ran after her, anyway, and surprisingly enough, beat her to the door.  
We ordered a half-extra-cheese, half-sausage pizza, with two large sodas. Hey, after losing a battle like that, we deserved a pick-me-up snack, right?   
  



	3. Kayla

Time: 2:34  
Place: Lavender Pokémon Gym  
Character: Kayla  
  
"Gengar, Night Shade!" I called, which finished the Kadabra my opponent had chosen. His face fell, and I kind of felt sorry for him. Not many had ever won the Shadow Badge, as my team of Ghost- and Dark-types was nearly unbeatable.   
"NO!! Kadabra!" the boy yelled, and I felt even worse. But I was a Gym Leader, and the rules were to win, to not let others show that they were better than you, and to only have sympathy for your Pokémon.   
"Great job, Gengar. Only one Pokémon left, boy. What'll it be?" He closed his eyes for a moment, then grabbed a pokéball.  
"Go, Pidgeot!" he called, and I could see I was in for a long battle. Gengar was weak to Flying-types.  
"Gengar, Hypnosis!"  
"Pidgeot, dodge and use your Wing Attack!" smart kid. Gengar went down.  
"Time for the surprise! It's up to you, Tyranitar!" the Rock/Dark Pokémon was the perfect thing to defeat Pidgeot.   
"Pidgeot, Drill Peck!"  
"Tyranitar, Rock Throw!"  
"Pidgeot, Razor Wind!"  
"Tyranitar, Crunch attack!" The attack slammed Pidgeot, knocking it out, and giving me the victory.  
"Oh, no! I lost again!" groaned the boy. That was another one of my rules. Never learn their names. And anyone could come back for more.   
I walked up to the boy I'd just battled. "Nice battle," I said, extending my hand. He shook it, then sadly walked out of the gym. After a few minutes I walked up the stairs to my room.  
Almost as soon as I got there, my phone rang. I grabbed it and sat on my bed, wondering who in the world would call right after a Gym match? But I shouldn't have wondered. It was the same person who always called.  
"Kayla, dear? It's Grandma!" said the voice on the phone.  
"Hi, Gramma. What did you call for?"  
"Well, I knew you had a battle today, so I thought I'd call."  
"I won, you don't have to worry. I have an unbeatable team."  
"That's what I thought, too, until that miserable boy Richie beat me. But keep doing a good job, I'll see you at the league tournament!" I hung up and put the phone back on the holder. Then I grabbed my remote and turned on the TV.  
"Recent activity in the Viridian City area leads authorities to believe that the notorious Team Rocket has again arisen. City officials are asking everyone to please be on the lookout for suspicious persons in that area." Ugh. I hate news channels. Especially when the news is telling me I have to leave the Gym.   
Normally, I would just keep my nose out of it, but I figured I needed a vacation. So I packed up my pokéballs and went into the kitchen where Mom was.   
"Oh, leaving for Viridian? Well, hang up the sign that the Gym is closed, would you?" I nodded, and headed out the door. I was lucky Mom was psychic, or I'd've had a lot of explaining to do.  
It was a long walk to Viridian, but I figured I needed the training. Like no one would recognize me as the Gym Leader from Lavender.  
  
  



	4. Ken

Time: 4:15  
Place: Rocket Secret Hideout  
Character: Ken  
  
"We need signs," I said to Mel, and she gave me a weird look.  
"Signs?" she asked. I nodded.  
"You know. Signs that say 'Rocket Secret Hideout This Way' or 'Don't Miss The Rocket Secret Hideout!'"  
"What?" She gave me a look like I was insane again. Which probably would be true if I didn't find some way out of Team Rocket.   
"How are we going to explain to your dad that we caught something?" I asked. See, if we caught anything without permission, it would be taken from us and reported as stolen.   
"Easy. I'll tell my dad I stole it, and he'll be so happy he'll let me have it." I knew then how desperate she was to have a new Pokémon. She would usually just let them take it. She hated being a Rocket and all that came with it. Same as I did.  
Neither of us really WANTED to be part of TR5, but, since our parents were Rockets, we had no choice. Mel's parents, Jessie and James, were the co-leaders of Team Rocket, my mom and dad were the other famous duo, Butch and Cassidy. But, thanks to our reluctance to be villains, Mel and I were only Scouts.   
Saying she stole the Pokémon, or better yet that WE stole the Pokémon, would move at least her, if not both of us, up to Thief level, a place she definitely didn't want to go.  
When we got to the door, I was surprised to see Scott and Lora guarding the door, instead of the usual Brian and Jen. Since they were pretty good friends with me, I hoped they would let us through. But I guess they suspected Mel, because they stopped us.  
"Hold on a second," said Lora, moving in front of the door.  
"Let us through, Lora, we're just bringing Pokémon back from the Center," said Mel coolly. She showed Lora and Scott the six pokéballs.  
"What's in 'em?" asked Scott suspiciously. Mel opened five of the six pokéballs. There was an Arbok, my Scyther, a Beedrill, a Raticate, and Mel's Eevee. "What about the other one?"  
"THAT one Ken and I stole from some wannabe trainer, and we are going to take it right now to show my da-er, the Boss. Satisfied?" Mel could be really Rocket-ish when she wanted to, a thing she inherited from Jessie.   
"YOU stole a Pokémon? You, the great, sympathetic Melodi? Yeah right," said Lora sarcastically, with a look at me. She had no idea I felt the same way as Mel about Pokémon and TR5.  
"I was right there, and I helped her steal it. So, if you would kindly let us by..." I shoved Lora out of the way (rudeness was expected in TR5) and opened the door, letting Mel go in front of me.  
We ran straight to her room and she opened the new pokéball. Inside was a Pidgey that we hadn't had time to go back and leave at the Pokémon center. We had to be back by the time dinner was served.  
Mel petted the Pidgey, which looked like we SHOULD have left it at the Pokémon Center. "What were you saying earlier, about signs?" she asked.  
"Um...nothing...just trying to joke, maybe get rid of the tension...you know...about Pidgey..."  
"Which reminds me, I have everyone's Pokémon still. Come with me to give them back, would you?" Mel asked. I nodded and took the pokéball with my own Scyther in it, and grabbed the pokéball that held Justin's Raticate, and hurried to his room.  
When I knocked, I got the usual "Buzz off" from Justin, but I knew better than to listen to that, so I opened the door.  
"Whaddya want?" Justin asked, annoyed. I threw him his pokéball and he caught it with his eyes closed.  
"I didn't want anything. But I thought YOU might want your Pokémon back," I said in a Rocket-ish voice. I closed the door and sprinted back down the hall to where Mel was waiting for me.  
"Now we have to give Mom's Arbok back," she said, with a bit of foreboding in her voice. She started down the long hall to the Boss's room. I followed a little behind her, a way to show that she had the authority. We entered the Boss's dimly lit room nearly silently, Mel clutching the pokéball that held Pidgey.   
"Hello, Melodi, have you brought back my Arbok?" asked Jessie. Mel nodded, and handed her Arbok's pokéball. She then walked over to where James was sitting and handed him Pidgey's pokéball.   
"What's this? Did you catch a Pokémon without permission?" asked James. He switched on the light on his desk, which shone on Mel's smiling face.  
"Not exactly. I did something that will make you very proud of me. Or rather, WE did," Mel said, grabbing my arm and pulling me into the light as well.  
"And what exactly did you do?" asked James suspiciously. Mel's smile got even wider, and I smiled too, a fake smile, but a smile all the same.  
"We stole this Pokémon, together, from some little nothing trainer on the way home," she said proudly, but I knew she was hating every word.  
"Both of you? Together?" asked Jessie, a dreamy look in her eyes. "Just like we used to, James, though we never actually got to steal anything...wonderful job, Melodi, I knew you were a Rocket deep inside!" said Jessie, and she got up from her chair and hugged Mel.  
"Yes, and for your fine work at stealing your first Pokémon without getting caught, you can keep this...this..." James paused.  
"Pidgey," I supplied.  
"PIDGEY??? Is that ALL you managed to steal??" James yelled, and Mel backed away so fast she knocked into me, and I fell over.   
"I...I...I was...was hoping...I just wanted to please you!" Mel said, and burst into (fake) tears. James's eyes softened at this, and he handed her back the pokéball.   
"Alright for your first attempt, but I don't think you're ready to leave Scout level yet, either of you. But I will remember this when the time comes to consider a promotion." James waved a hand, and I got up and both of us left. When we were out the door, Mel ran to her room.   
I wanted to run after her, but I decided to go to my own room instead. I already had my six Pokémon, I didn't need that Pidgey, and I figured Mel just wanted to be alone after that performance for her parents.   
  



	5. Meg

Time: 9:00 am, Tuesday  
Place: Ketchum household, Pallet Town  
Character: Meg  
  
"BBBRRRRRRRRRIIIIIINNNNGGGGGGG! BBBRRRRRRRRRIIIIIINNNNGGGGGGG! BBBRRRRRRRRRIIIIIINNNNGGGGGGG!"  
My alarm clock was getting annoying. I slammed the button down and rolled over, trying to catch those last few Z's before I fully woke up. But I forgot that I had something better than an alarm clock at waking me up. I remembered when I felt that something lick my hand.  
"Morning, Mareep. I'm getting up, just don't shock me," I said, and just to make sure I wasn't zapped, I sat up and turned on the light.  
"Reep reep! Mareep!" cried Mareep, and I started laughing.  
"It was funny, whatever you said. Go tell Mom I'm coming for breakfast." Mareep nodded and ran out the door of my room. I sighed and fell back on the bed. "Ugh. Tuesday. And Ben and I've got to go back to Viridian to pick up MORE of his Pokémon!" I said aloud, wondering how I'd gotten such a determined thing for a little brother. Well, I shouldn't say little. We were only seven seconds apart, after all, but that still made me older.   
"Meg, breakfast is ready!" called Mom, so I got up and went downstairs.  
"Hi, sis. Don't forget we have to go to Viridian and Professor Ivy called. She says she has a surprise for you at the lab." I was used to Ben giving me information like he was on a time limit.   
"No problem," I said, and made a mental note to hit the lab after lunch, since it only took about 15 minutes to get to Viridian by bike, and I had sworn off walking for the day.   
Breakfast was pancakes, my favorite, and I ate about five. Then I rushed out the door, for once beating my brother to our bikes, which meant I got to grab the better one, leaving him with the one I usually rode.   
"Hey, Meg, that's not fair," he whined. I smirked at him.  
"Yes, it is. You ALWAYS get the good bike, so now it's MY turn!" I sped out of the garage, Ben close behind, but I let him get ahead since we were going to pick up HIS Pokémon. He was one of those trainers who was almost always in 'win no matter what the cost' mode. Yesterday had been one of those days.  
It was a speedy trip to Viridian, like it always was on bikes. I waited outside for Ben to get his Pokémon, since I didn't see any reason to go in. But about two minutes later, when he didn't return, I suddenly felt that he was in trouble. Maybe it was a twin thing, but I knew something was wrong.  
I ran through the doors of the Center and right into Ben. For some reason, all he could do was stand there and stare at...whatever he was staring at.  
"I don't believe it..." I heard him mutter, and I quickly stood up again.  
"Don't believe WHAT?" I asked, annoyed, stepping around him as to see what in the world he was looking at. All I could see was a girl, with long blonde hair and bluish-green eyes, standing at the counter waiting.  
"That's the Gym Leader from Lavender Town! She's world-famous! She's the youngest Gym Leader in the entire Pokémon world! Plus, she's been undefeated for a year!!" Let me tell you right now, hero-worship is not only wacked, but it's one of my brother's strong points.  
"And? Don't tell me you're gonna ask her to battle!" I asked, somewhat afraid of the answer.  
"Why not? It'll be my chance to prove that I AM a good battler! Hey, you, Gym Leader!" As usual, my idiot brother was being an idiot.   
"Call her by her name, stupid! Even you, insane-o that you are, should know her name is Kayla."   
"Oh...right...um, hey, Kayla!" The girl turned and looked at us. Ben waved and she walked over.  
"Hello. What do you want?" she asked in a bored-sounding voice.  
"I want-" Ben began, but I cut him off on impulse.  
"I want a battle!" I said loudly, and both Kayla's and Ben's eyes got wide.   
"YOU want a BATTLE?" both asked at the same time. They looked at each other evilly, like enemies would, then all three of us began to laugh.   
"Hahahahaha! It's been a long time since I laughed like this. Things aren't usually very cheerful around Lavender Town. So, what are your names, before we battle?"  
"I'm Meg, and this is Ben," I said, and Ben extended his hand.  
"Ben Ketchum here, nice ta see ya!" he said in his most casual voice. They shook hands, or started to, but Kayla's eyes suddenly got very wide.  
"Ben KETCHUM? Meg and Ben KETCHUM??? As in, related to the famous Ash Ketchum, Indigo Champion, and Misty Ketchum, Cerulean leader?" We nodded together, savoring the moment of being famous. "Then LET'S BATTLE!" she cried, and we each chose a pokéball.  
"Ok, you guys, one-on-one, no time limit," said Ben, annoyed at being on the sidelines.   
"Go, Gengar!" Kayla called.  
"You're up, Xatu!" I called, using not only my best Pokémon, but also the one with the best chance of beating Gengar.  
"You're smart, Meg. Gengar, Shadow Ball!"  
"Xatu, Psywind!" The Psywind not only hit Gengar, but it drove the Shadow Ball back with it, which was a double-hitter, in a way.  
"Gengar, Night Shade!"  
"Xatu, use Razor Wind!" The Flying attack proved too much for Gengar. It fainted, giving me my first victory in about a month, if you don't count wild Pokémon.   
Ben's jaw was almost on the ground. "You...you...you WON!" he screamed, and he began jumping up and down. "Meg beat the ultimate Gym Leader in a match!! YAHOO!!!"   
"And it was a fair win, too. And, because I am the leader of the Lavender Gym, I am obliged to give you this Shadow Badge." Kayla stepped forward and placed something in my hand. It was shaped like a sun, but was purple and black.   
"I-I-I...I got a badge!" It was my turn to jump up and down in triumph. "I don't believe it!"  
Then I saw them. Those two kids I had seen going into the Pokémon Center yesterday were back today. The girl with the brown hair and two different-colored eyes, and the boy with the blue hair and brown eyes.  
I wonder what they're doing here again...at about the same time of day... It WAS almost lunchtime, so the three of us, (me, Ben, and Kayla) went to the closest restaurant for lunch. Surprisingly enough, it was a pizza place.   
  
  



	6. Meg

Time: 1:25  
Place: Viridian Gym  
Character: Melodi  
  
"Melodi, I want you to be one of the Junior Trainers in this Gym," Dad was saying. I was only half-listening. The other half of me was worried that he would find out that I hadn't stolen that Pidgey after all, that I'd caught it myself.   
"Yes, Dad, but then I can't go to the Pokémon Center anymore," I said, hoping o get out of Gym duty for a while, at least until the Pidgey thing was off everyone's mind. I knew Ken wouldn't tell, but...  
"What? Why not?" asked Dad. I sighed and gave the only explanation I could come up with.   
"People know this used to be the operating place of Team Rocket! If they see me here, then at the Pokémon Center, what'll they think??"  
"Oh, don't be silly, your mother and I know that no one knows a thing about TR5." That had been the downfall of the old Boss, Giovanni, who Dad had overthrown right before the destruction of TR4. Dad hadn't been watching the news lately, either, I could tell. There had been a reporter talking about Team Rocket on the Kanto News Channel yesterday.   
"Ok, Dad, but only once a week, ok? I don't want to miss any good opportunities to steal Pokémon." This was my last line of excuses, but it worked.  
"Alright, Melodi, but I expect YOU here to battle every Friday there is someone to battle, understand?"  
"Yes, I understand," I said, and ran out the Gym's back door and through the woods to the Rocket Secret Hideout. After getting hopelessly lost, I realized that Ken was right: we DID need signs.  
After about five minutes, I found a familiar place, the place where I'd caught Pidgey. I hurried back to the building. I needed to talk to Ken.  
I ran straight to his room and burst in, and was almost instantly knocked down by something rushing very fast at the door.  
"Geodude, STOP!! Mel, are you ok?" Ken ran over to where I was, um, sitting on the floor.  
"I WAS ok. WHY was your Geodude attacking the door, might I ask?" I said, getting up off the floor.  
"Actually, I thought it was Jason. He said he didn't believe I would steal a Pokémon, let alone help you steal one. He was said he was going to come and battle it out with me, and I figured I'd get rid of him and his ideas before we actually DID start a fight. Sorry about Geodude, though. I shouldn't have listened to Jason."  
"No problem. I needed a good bashing anyway. I wanted to talk to you about earlier today. When we were going into the Center."  
"What about it?"  
"Well, first of all, I saw those two kids again. You know, the girl with black hair and brown eyes and the boy with red hair and brown eyes? I think they're twins."  
"So what? They were probably there for the same reason we were."  
"Yeah, but it was who was with them that scared me."  
"Really? Who was it?"  
"Kayla, the Lavender Gym Leader. What's more, the girl had just won a badge from Kayla. NO ONE beats her. Not unless they have like, the ultimate Pokémon or something. So this girl must be pretty powerful."  
"Yeah, so?"  
"SO! Not that I care, but I think Kayla came here because of the news report about TR5. And, if that girl beat Kayla, she has the stuff to beat Team Rocket as well." I sighed and sat down on a chair. "The thing is, I don't know if I would try to stop any of them from defeating Team Rocket, given the chance."  
"I don't think I would, either. Even if it meant being alone forever, living a trainer's life, I want Team Rocket destroyed." Ken had a proud look on his face, but I was almost laughing, because the words he said contradicted the big red R on his white Scout's uniform.  
"I knew it! I knew you two would never steal a Pokémon! Not even such an insignificant thing as a Pidgey!" I jumped out of my chair and whirled around, and saw the familiar face of Lora at the door. My enemy, and the one who WOULD tell Dad about Pidgey, if she even really knew it was a Pidgey in the pokéball.   
"How nice, Lora, you came to battle in Jason's place!" said Ken, and Lora got a puzzled look on her face, making me wish I had my camera.   
"What? But I didn't-" she started to back out of the room, but I caught her by the wrist and began to drag her toward the back door.  
"C'mon, Lora, let's get the battle started!" I said, catching on to Ken's plan.   
When we were on the battle ring outside, Ken put part two of the plan into action.  
"Chicken lips, chicken lips, you'll never be able to be anything but a guard at the door, you worthless Rocket!" I had to admit, this was pretty good insulting for one of the more serious members of TR5.  
"Yeah, fruit-for-brains, why don't you just admit now that you've lost and give it up?" I said, ready to run for it. Lora's face was bright red, and she turned her gaze of fury on me.  
"I will beat you to a pulp!" she yelled, and Ken and I both started to run.  
"You have to catch us first!" he yelled, and the two of us ran faster than I had ever run in my life.  
As soon as we reached the center of Viridian City, we hid behind the police station. Lora, thinking we'd gone inside, ran in and started screaming. Ken and I laughed as quietly as we could when we heard the officers arrest her, seeing her guard uniform. They were shocked that a member of Team Rocket had run right into their station in uniform.   
Wait a minute. IN UNIFORM? I looked at my and Ken's outfits and gasped. "Oh no!"  
"What?" Ken asked, and he followed my eyes to the big red R on his uniform. "Oh no is right! I forgot we were in uniform! Now what'll we do? I'm surprised no one saw us running and reported us!" This was panic time. Big time.  
"We've gotta hide somewhere! There's no way we can get back to the RSH without being seen! And Lora's gonna tell the minute she gets the chance!" Ken nodded, and we began to traverse the alleyways, looking for somewhere where there weren't a lot of people. But then I saw something that amazed me.  
"Look! There they are! That girl, her brother, and Kayla!" I whispered furiously, pointing to the window of the nearby pokémart. "If THEY see us, in our uniforms instead of regular clothes, we're finished!" I yanked Ken back into the shadows as they left the store. But somehow I knew something was behind us.   
"OW!! Ken yelled, and jumped out into the sunlight. I ran after him, but whirled around when I felt something bite my leg.   
"WHAT?? Oh, it's a Houndour. WHAT WERE YOU BITING US FOR?!?!?!" I yelled, until Ken tapped me on the shoulder, at which point I turned back around. Standing there, with angry and triumphant looks on their faces, were the twins and Kayla.  
"Um, hi," Ken said, smiling nervously. "We're Pokémon trainers." I pinched him. Hard. He'd forgotten, AGAIN, that we were in uniform.  
"Don't play around, we know who you are, right, Meg?" asked Kayla, and Meg, the girl who'd beaten Kayla, smiled evilly and nodded.  
"You betcha, Kayla. You were right about them," Meg said, and turned to her brother. "Ben, would you be so kind as to inform these people of who they really are?"  
"Of course, sis," said Ben, and he turned to face us. "YOU'RE TEAM ROCKET!!!!!"   



	7. Revelations

Time: 2:00   
Place: Viridian City  
Character: Ben  
  
"YOU'RE TEAM ROCKET!!" I yelled, and both kids jumped back about a foot. The girl recovered first, and stepped up to my sister.  
"So what if we are? I know you won't listen to a word I say, whether it's the truth or not, so why don't you just turn us in while you've got the chance!" Boy, that Rocket was mad! And her hair-hanging down with a little curly thing on the end-looked like something I'd seen in one of Dad's old pictures.  
Meg was about to yell for someone to come get them, but I put a hand on her arm to stop her, and I stepped in front of the Rockets instead.  
"Come with us, and we'll listen to what you have to say. I'm not saying we'll believe it, but we'll listen." Meg and Kayla looked at me in astonishment.   
"Ben, what are you thinking?" Meg whispered. "They're Team Rocket!" I nodded and grabbed a pokéball.   
"Bellsprout, use your Vine Whip to tie up these Rockets!" I said, and Bellsprout did as it was told, tying them up tight enough so that I knew they'd never get out.  
I then led our little group of five along a couple back roads and into Viridian Forest. After a few minutes of cutting through dense forest stuff, we arrived at a small clearing. I told Bellsprout to release the Rockets, and then called it back.  
"Ok," I said, "What do you have to tell us?" I was prepared for them to say just about everything...except what the boy DID begin to say.  
"It's not by choice, you know," he said. "Mel and I are only Rockets because our parents are Rockets...not by choice."   
"What? You don't LIKE stealing Pokémon?" asked Kayla, sounding a little sympathetic.  
"NO WAY!" said the girl, Mel. "Ken and I are the worst Rockets in the history of the world! Only because my parents are co-Bosses...and his parents are the best Under-Bosses ever...that's the only reason I'm even WEARING this dumb uniform!! I HATE BEING A ROCKET!!!! It means you go around, making other trainer's lives miserable, taking their Pokémon to show my mom and dad...do you know what happens to the Pokémon that aren't good enough?" Mel was screaming by now.  
"Um...well...what happens to them?" Meg asked tentatively.   
"To the Pokémon that James doesn't like?" Ken asked. James? Why does that name sound so familiar? I thought.   
"Yeah," I said, kind of dreading the answer.  
"Well, if anyone steals a Pokémon that either Jessie or James considers worthless, it is taken out of its pokéball and left in the woods...to die," Ken finished softly, and Kayla gasped. "That's why I o everything I can to stay away from Jessie and James, AND their stupid Persian! Who would ever believe a Persian could speak human!"  
"NO WAY!!" I yelled, jumping up from where I had sat down on the ground.   
"What? What's wrong?" asked Meg, a worried look on her face. I realized what my jumping up must have looked like, considering the conversation.  
"Uh, sorry. Meg, do you remember what Dad used to tell us about HIS encounters with Team Rocket? What their names were?"  
"Uh-huh. Jessie, James, and their...AND THEIR TALKING MEOWTH!!!!" Meg jumped up too, and we hit high-fives.  
"Um, does someone care to explain? Because I'm lost," said Kayla, and we both sat down again.  
"Our mom and dad used to travel together, when they were kids. They had their Rocket troubles, too, with one particular trio, who went by the names of Jessie, James, and Meowth." Mel flinched at each name as I said it, but I continued anyway. "They always had dreams of being the Boss Rockets, or so Dad said. And it IS possible that Meowth finally evolved into a Persian."  
"Yeah, Mom and Dad tell stories of when he used to be a Meowth, and when the three of them chased a twerp named Ash and his friends, Brock and Misty, around all the time. They never DID get a hold of that Pikachu..." Mel trailed off, and Meg and I looked at each other.  
"Mom and Dad!" we said together. When the others looked at us for an explanation, Meg gave it.  
"Ash and Misty are our parents. And you're right: they never got Pikachu. It's Ben's alarm clock now. Or should I say his 'shock clock'!"   
"Definitely," I agreed. "Now, the question is, do we believe you guys, or not?" I turned to Meg and Kayla. "Thumbs up, we believe 'em, thumbs down, we turn 'em in. Agreed?" Two nods. Meg made a fist, thumb up. So did Kayla. With a look at Mel and Ken, who looked like they were holding their breaths, I, too, gave the thumbs-up.  
Mel sighed. "So you believe us. That doesn't get us back to the RSH. Or stop Lora from revealing us, too." She looked like she was gonna cry. I didn't blame her. I despised Team Rocket, and everything about it, as much as the next guy, but Mel wanted no part of it.  
"Do you HAVE to go back?" asked Kayla. "I mean, maybe you two could stay with me, in the Viridian Hotel. D'you think anyone would notice?"  
"Kayla, Mel's parents are the Rocket Bosses! Don't you think someone would be looking for her if she went missing?" Ken yelled, and I had to admit that was obvious. Mel WOULD be missed if she didn't show up back at the RSH, whatever that was.  
"I don't want to go back, though. I want Team Rocket stopped!" Mel yelled, and Meg nodded in agreement.  
"You bet!" I said, and Kayla gave a sailor-style salute.   
"Ok, then. Let's beat Team Rocket, once and for all!" Meg yelled, and we all hit one big high-five!   



	8. Revelations

Time: 2:00   
Place: Viridian City  
Character: Ben  
  
"YOU'RE TEAM ROCKET!!" I yelled, and both kids jumped back about a foot. The girl recovered first, and stepped up to my sister.  
"So what if we are? I know you won't listen to a word I say, whether it's the truth or not, so why don't you just turn us in while you've got the chance!" Boy, that Rocket was mad! And her hair-hanging down with a little curly thing on the end-looked like something I'd seen in one of Dad's old pictures.  
Meg was about to yell for someone to come get them, but I put a hand on her arm to stop her, and I stepped in front of the Rockets instead.  
"Come with us, and we'll listen to what you have to say. I'm not saying we'll believe it, but we'll listen." Meg and Kayla looked at me in astonishment.   
"Ben, what are you thinking?" Meg whispered. "They're Team Rocket!" I nodded and grabbed a pokéball.   
"Bellsprout, use your Vine Whip to tie up these Rockets!" I said, and Bellsprout did as it was told, tying them up tight enough so that I knew they'd never get out.  
I then led our little group of five along a couple back roads and into Viridian Forest. After a few minutes of cutting through dense forest stuff, we arrived at a small clearing. I told Bellsprout to release the Rockets, and then called it back.  
"Ok," I said, "What do you have to tell us?" I was prepared for them to say just about everything...except what the boy DID begin to say.  
"It's not by choice, you know," he said. "Mel and I are only Rockets because our parents are Rockets...not by choice."   
"What? You don't LIKE stealing Pokémon?" asked Kayla, sounding a little sympathetic.  
"NO WAY!" said the girl, Mel. "Ken and I are the worst Rockets in the history of the world! Only because my parents are co-Bosses...and his parents are the best Under-Bosses ever...that's the only reason I'm even WEARING this dumb uniform!! I HATE BEING A ROCKET!!!! It means you go around, making other trainer's lives miserable, taking their Pokémon to show my mom and dad...do you know what happens to the Pokémon that aren't good enough?" Mel was screaming by now.  
"Um...well...what happens to them?" Meg asked tentatively.   
"To the Pokémon that James doesn't like?" Ken asked. James? Why does that name sound so familiar? I thought.   
"Yeah," I said, kind of dreading the answer.  
"Well, if anyone steals a Pokémon that either Jessie or James considers worthless, it is taken out of its pokéball and left in the woods...to die," Ken finished softly, and Kayla gasped. "That's why I o everything I can to stay away from Jessie and James, AND their stupid Persian! Who would ever believe a Persian could speak human!"  
"NO WAY!!" I yelled, jumping up from where I had sat down on the ground.   
"What? What's wrong?" asked Meg, a worried look on her face. I realized what my jumping up must have looked like, considering the conversation.  
"Uh, sorry. Meg, do you remember what Dad used to tell us about HIS encounters with Team Rocket? What their names were?"  
"Uh-huh. Jessie, James, and their...AND THEIR TALKING MEOWTH!!!!" Meg jumped up too, and we hit high-fives.  
"Um, does someone care to explain? Because I'm lost," said Kayla, and we both sat down again.  
"Our mom and dad used to travel together, when they were kids. They had their Rocket troubles, too, with one particular trio, who went by the names of Jessie, James, and Meowth." Mel flinched at each name as I said it, but I continued anyway. "They always had dreams of being the Boss Rockets, or so Dad said. And it IS possible that Meowth finally evolved into a Persian."  
"Yeah, Mom and Dad tell stories of when he used to be a Meowth, and when the three of them chased a twerp named Ash and his friends, Brock and Misty, around all the time. They never DID get a hold of that Pikachu..." Mel trailed off, and Meg and I looked at each other.  
"Mom and Dad!" we said together. When the others looked at us for an explanation, Meg gave it.  
"Ash and Misty are our parents. And you're right: they never got Pikachu. It's Ben's alarm clock now. Or should I say his 'shock clock'!"   
"Definitely," I agreed. "Now, the question is, do we believe you guys, or not?" I turned to Meg and Kayla. "Thumbs up, we believe 'em, thumbs down, we turn 'em in. Agreed?" Two nods. Meg made a fist, thumb up. So did Kayla. With a look at Mel and Ken, who looked like they were holding their breaths, I, too, gave the thumbs-up.  
Mel sighed. "So you believe us. That doesn't get us back to the RSH. Or stop Lora from revealing us, too." She looked like she was gonna cry. I didn't blame her. I despised Team Rocket, and everything about it, as much as the next guy, but Mel wanted no part of it.  
"Do you HAVE to go back?" asked Kayla. "I mean, maybe you two could stay with me, in the Viridian Hotel. D'you think anyone would notice?"  
"Kayla, Mel's parents are the Rocket Bosses! Don't you think someone would be looking for her if she went missing?" Ken yelled, and I had to admit that was obvious. Mel WOULD be missed if she didn't show up back at the RSH, whatever that was.  
"I don't want to go back, though. I want Team Rocket stopped!" Mel yelled, and Meg nodded in agreement.  
"You bet!" I said, and Kayla gave a sailor-style salute.   
"Ok, then. Let's beat Team Rocket, once and for all!" Meg yelled, and we all hit one big high-five!   



End file.
